Right On Target: Top 5 Places for Sportsmen in Grand Forks

North Dakota – it’s rough, rugged, and rural – the perfect place for a sportsman. With its winter climate, the region offers unique opportunities to get out of the house and take advantage of activities you may not find everywhere else. Whether your forte is hunting, shooting, or competing in actual sports, greater Grand Forks has something for everyone!

If you are new to Grand Forks region, you probably don’t own acres and acres of farmland to hunt. Although unfortunate, that does not mean there is nowhere for you to get out and score that trophy buck or banded duck. While the terrain in greater Grand Forks may not offer much variety, there are several areas of public land that anyone licensed to hunt, fish, and trap can use in respect to posted restrictions. Wildlife management areas in Grand Forks County are Ed Bry, Forest River Biology Station, Prairie Chicken, Crawford Oakville Prairie, Grand Forks County Water Management Board, Kelly’s Slough, and Oakville Prairie Biology Station. There is also public land scattered all over the area that can be found electronically on the North Dakota Hunting Atlas. These lands are public to scout and hunt and offer a great deal of success to the dedicated hunter!

Maybe it’s not the season for the game that you like to hunt. Maybe hunting isn’t necessarily your thing at all, but you still love to shoot recreationally. Greater Grand Forks offers a plethora of shooting ranges that will give you the ability to stay sharp year-round. Gun and archery ranges, both indoor and outdoor, are scattered all over the area to offer a gamesman a place to stay sighted in. These ranges include Forks Rifle Club, Red River Archers, East Grand Forks Rod and Gun Club, Grand Forks Gun Club, and Dakota Hunting Club and Kennels. While some are private, each come with a shooting lanes of different lengths and capabilities to match the needs of rifle, trap, or bow sportsmen.

Ice fishing may be the most North Dakotan thing I’ve ever done. The fact that you can walk around on a frozen lake, even drive your truck out to the middle of it, still blows my mind to this day. With that said, there is nothing quite like pulling a fish out of a hole in the middle of a sheet of ice. It is extremely rewarding to see fish pile up after a long day of closely watching a fish finder. Even if you aren’t catching anything, being in the ice hut with friends makes time fly by. Grand Forks has several nearby lakes that make for a good place to drill holes and pop up the tent. A few great places to look into around the area are Devil’s Lake, Larimore Dam, Golden Lake, and Stump Lake. Each has several different depths and species of fish, which make fishing the frozen surface a new exploration every time.

Growing up, I always saw curling on TV during the Winter Olympics. I thought it was so interesting and wanted to try it. Luckily, I moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where I could very easily learn to throw a rock. Here in Grand Forks, we have a pristine facility for curling at the Grand Forks Curling Club, which offers Olympic-length curling lanes, a beautiful lounge area, and a staff that is extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the sport. The club offers group events, league nights, and lessons. Even if you know absolutely nothing about curling, the staff will help coach and challenge you to learn and improve your curling skills. This is the perfect place for someone who is interested in trying out curling, curling competitively, or planning an office outing!

Axe throwing is a sport that perfectly pairs friendly competition with the natural, barbaric desire to throw sharp objects. It is an awesome date idea, office trip, or friend game night. There are several different games that you can play which are all different scoring variations. In Grand Forks, there are two axe throwing facilities, both with full bars and great environments. The first is at Northern Air Action Park on 32^nd Street, the second is Downtown Axe. Much like the curling club, both axe throwing facilities offer expert staff members that give helpful tips and tutorials, as well as league opportunities for those who want to compete.